Snack attack: Workout snacking isn't as easy as it sounds

The words "snacking" and "workouts" seem to counteract one another in theory. Practically, speaking one can't survive without the other.
Typically, the word "snacking" is related to chomping on potato chips, Doritos or other salty snacks or indulging in some sweet treats like ice cream or a fresh slice of pie. That type of snacking isn't advisable when it comes to your workout as most of those foods will leave you feeling bloated, lethargic and hardly in the mood to exercise.
In the case of snacking as it relates to exercise, the two go hand in hand as the food you choose before and after a workout ultimately will define the amount of energy you put into your workout and how you feel afterward.
Your post workout fare should center mostly on protein and the "good" kind of carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes, for example. Your protein source can come in the form of dinner that includes plenty of grilled chicken, steak or fish or something as simple as a shot of peanut butter or a few hard boiled eggs. Protein is integral in rebuilding the muscles that you just finished breaking down after an intense workout.
One of the bigger misconceptions about food and working out is that the exercise itself as as a "free pass" when it comes to your meal choices. So many men and women who workout diligently for an hour or so three or four days a week can't lose weight and wonder aloud why that's the case. In that same vein, you'll also hear people talk about how hard they worked out and that they decided to reward themselves with a burger and fries.

Quite simply, that's not how exercise and food are supposed to work in conjunction with one another after you've finished working out.
Before you begin exercising, you also want to pay close attention to foods that aren't overly heavy (no one wants to see you puking in a garbage can) but have enough healthy sugar to give you the kind of energy that will suffice. Most pre workout food should consist of fruits like apples, strawberries or even bananas. You should also try to incorporate some light protein as well, such as almonds or dates.
The food you choose as part of your workouts arguably are just as important or more so than the actual workout itself. Food is your fuel and how your body reacts to not only being in the midst of a workout but also the recovery time, weight loss and how you are able to build muscles and craft the body you've always wanted.
Without food powering you to your goal, you won't get nearly as far as you would like.

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